And You're Real
by little red after the wolf
Summary: AU We could be timeless. — rilaya (tw: violence)


**Insp.** Peter Pan, The Second Star to the Right p. 2 (aka my solo number) _"you're Peter Pan and you're real!"_

**A/N: So, this is the fantasy AU I was talking about! It's inspired by the musical we're doing right now, yes, we're doing Peter Pan! And I got cast as Wendy Darling, guys! It's one of my dream roles and, fyi, she is the mainest of main characters (just deal with it, it's a fact, even if Peter is the titular character, J.M. Barrie clearly made Wendy the mainest character, and I'm the only one with a fuckin' solo number and consistent featuring in most of the songs, period) so writing Riley as her made SENSE!**

According to the clock, she's 14 tonight. Her little brother clings to her as she whispers to him tales of adventure and freedom and _never growing up._ She doesn't want to grow up. But Daddy is going to sit her down and tell her she can't be his _little_ girl anymore, she has to become a woman—but that doesn't mean boys, boys, and more boys. The brunette nuzzles her little brother closer, whispering into his curly hair, "and Maya disarmed Farkle, triumphantly declaring her victory, then she went back to the Lost Boys and they celebrated."

"Yay!" Auggie cheers, clapping.

"Keep it down, kiddo," his big sister warns, "we can't wake Mom and Dad up."

"Oh, sowwy," he apologizes, pouting. She smiles, hugging him and giggling that it's okay. "Riley," he whispers in the quiet, "what does she look like?" Riley has been telling her little brother the stories about Maya Hart for years now but this is the first time he's asked that.

"Well, Aug, she's blonde, kind of dirty blonde, she's got sparkly blue eyes, her skin is fair, she's short but that's how she's so sneaky, she's gorgeous and she looks like trouble but that only makes her even more alluring," Riley's eyes glaze over, her face reddening a little.

Awe takes over Auggie's eyes and mouth, a small 'o' forming. "She sounds wonderful."

"She is, Augs. Absolutely marvelous," she sighs.

"How do you get to Neverland again?" He asks, tugging her hand.

"It's the second star to the right, bubba, you keep going straight on 'til morning," she giggles, "you're so curious tonight."

"It might be the last time Mommy and Daddy let you tell me about her," he says in a small voice. It's like a punch in the stomach and Riley flicks off the light, letting the glow in the dark sky on the ceiling shine.

"_The second star to the right, wish you would show me the way! Where Maya's stories never end, no fathers to obey,_" Riley sings softly.

"I love you, Ry Ry," he murmurs, hugging his sister.

"I love you too, Auggie," she whispers back, kissing his forehead. And all she wants is for Maya Hart to take her to Neverland, she just knows they'd be best friends. Maybe Maya would even listen to her rambles about Lucas, this boy she wants to give her hidden kiss to. Maybe Maya would take Auggie to Neverland too.

Maybe.

But maybe the stars are just powder and dust in the night sky.

* * *

Her window, left open like countless nights before, is letting in the freezing New York air again. She curls into her brother, wishing almost to close it. She's left it open for Maya Hart all her life and she's almost sure that tonight will be yet another disappointment—the last one of her life.

But a soft footstep pads down on the sill, a gentle landing. Something bright and glowing—and positively tiny—twists in the air, squeaky bells going off. "Shut up, Ava," a gruff yet feminine voice chides, "we have to find what they did with it."

The bells go off again, in a lower, disgruntled tone. The light darts around the bedroom, searching.

It is rather strange, just what the duo was searching for. Of course it was strange though, for that night was perhaps destined to be a strange one from the moment Riley had been born. And strange was absolutely wonderful.

"I found it!" The gruff voice exclaims. The thin bells ring again in a vehement reprimand. "Wake them? Who cares if I wake them, that one's growing up now anyways, not like they'd believe in me enough to see," she scoffs, her eyebrows knitting together in a glare.

"Who's there!?" Riley yelps at this, her limbs tangled in her blanket as she struggles out of bed.

Ava's bells rattle angrily in the other girl's ear. Desperately, a shushing sound leaves her pressed lips as she clamps her hands down around the light.

"Hello?" The brunette asks with shaking voice. Not a muscle twitches nor does a lip at all in response. Fear bleeds into doe eyes. She reaches for the light switch.

It slips out. Really, she hadn't meant to. But yet, she had done it. She let herself scream, "no." As the girl spun around, she still beats herself over it.

". . . Hello?" Much more nervous than before, Riley repeats her question.

This time, there is an answer. "Please don't turn the light on, I don't have my shadow on."

It's the most peculiar thing Riley thinks she has ever been told in her life. "You . . . Don't have your . . . Shadow on?" She murmurs rather slowly as she inches towards her brother's bed. This stranger could be very, very dangerous, this could be just a ploy to get her off guard. She knows she _has _to protect her little Auggie no matter what.

"No, it got stuck in your stupid window and then it got away while I was trying to find new Lost Boys to recruit," she admits, "or a Lost Girl." It's an afterthought she doesn't intend to voice, but she does.

"Lost . . . Boys?" Something in her stirs. This could be a burglar who'd heard her telling Auggie about Maya Hart, who realized her window was open. Or . . .

She finds herself going, or rather leaping, towards the light switch. And then the light engulfs her room.

"Hey! I told you not to do that!" Standing shorter than she'd expected with the blonde hair she'd pictured and stormy eyes and fair skin, Riley knows exactly who it is.

"Oh, my gosh! It's—you! I knew you were real! I knew it, I knew it!" She gasps, her eyes widening more than distance, she lets out a little squeal with a quick clap, "yay!"

"Is there something wrong with you?" Maya Hart asks, her eyebrows itching together.

"No, it's just, I mean, wow! I've been waiting for this moment forever and now you're here and oh, my God, I'm freaking out, you're so amazing and I love you and my little bubba loves you and you're here and yay!" It comes out in a long breath that makes Maya back away slightly.

"You . . . You believe in me?" She whispers.

"Of course I do! _You're Maya Hart and you're real! Not just a tale I told!_ I'm Riley! Riley Matthews, do you need help getting your shadow back on? I could probably sew it back on for you! My mom taught me how to sew when I was really little so I could totally sew your shadow back on even thought that's really weird to think of, but, I mean, I'll help you!" The bouncing girl rushes to get a sewing needle and her thimble as Maya looks around in bewilderment, "_I'll get your shadow back on, you'll be as good as new. Then maybe you can show me where stories can come true!_ Oh, would you!? Take me to Neverland, please, I don't want to grow up—I'm not ready to!"

"What? Aren't ya already grown up?" The blonde takes yet another step back.

"Not really, I mean, I believe in you, don't I?" She offers, hopefully. Maya's face softens and she sits down, her shadow in hand. It's not an answer but it's good enough for Riley so she begins her work. Surprisingly, she doesn't babble on as she sews.

Maya supposes growing up is breaking the poor girl's heart. It had broken hers. When her father left . . .

No. She won't think about fathers or . . . What had been the other word? The other . . . She decides it's good that she's forgotten at least one of them although her heart aches heavily in her ribs at this.

"There, good as new," Riley smiles softly, "like I promised."

A thank you swells in her throat but sticks itself beneath a lump. "So," she tries instead, "you don't wanna grow up?"

"Not yet, even if Daddy says boys are part of being grown up." Maya can't help but feel as if this sentence had punched her in the face. It bothers her that she doesn't know quite which part of it hurts.

"Well, let's go then, c'mon," she outstretches a thin hand. The moonlight paints her features angularly, running around her hair like a halo. She promises everything Riley has ever wanted . . . Except . . .

"What would my mom say?"

That word . . . It's familiar. But Maya doesn't know what it is.

"What's a mom?" Her eyebrows bunch up.

"You don't know what a mom is? A mom is someone who takes care of you and tells you stories and—" Maya remembers now. It hurts and hurts inside her chest but she remembers.

"You can be our mom, the Lost Boys need a mom," the blonde decides, snatching Riley's hand, "c'mon, let's go!"

"Wait!" Once more, Riley stops herself from getting what she wants.

"Oh, what now?" She all but snaps.

"My brother, Auggie, can he come?" There's hope in those wide, wide eyes. Something in Maya couldn't possibly fathom a no, even if she hadn't been looking for more Lost Boys.

"Of course," she nods.

Riley wakes him with murmurs of Neverland and an urgency that has never been so prominent before. He clings to her instantly and asks the question on both of their tongues. "How will we get to Neverland, Maya?"

"How? Flying, duh," she knows in her bones that they have never flown, even if they believe in her, they have never flown. "Just think of happy things, then take action. Oh! Wait, one thing first. Oh, Avaaaaaa," she beckons.

The light comes back into view, jingling delicately.

"A little pixie dust for Riles and Auggie," she instructs, pointing at them.

"Yay!" The brunette claps, excitedly, "this is it, bubba."

"We're going to Neverland!" He bounces lightly, as the fairy sprinkles them with pixie dust.

"You first, kiddo," Maya says to Riley, leading her to the window, "c'mon."

"Wait, what!? I live in an apartment!" She exclaims.

"So?" She scoffs.

"So I'll fall and die!" Fear sets in her eyes.

"_Think of the happiest things, it's the same as having wings. It's easier than pie!_ Just believe!" And with a slight huff, the blonde girl shoves a screeching Riley Matthews out the window.

But, thankfully, not to her death.

"_I can fly!_" The doe eyed girl realizes, the wind rushing through her now disheveled hair and pressing her night gown against her cold flesh. Auggie, with a cry for his sister, rushes after her.

"_You can fly__!_" Maya laughs.

"_We can fly!_" The Matthews siblings affirm once more.

Maya leaps after them, Ava in pursuit of her boots. Coyly, she rockets to the older sibling and grabs her hand, twirling a bit in the night air. "This way, the second star to the right and straight on 'til morning!"

Never has she been happier before than holding Riley Matthews hand in this moment.

* * *

reviews are love. give some to maya. also, if you guys want me to continue this past a one-shot, let me know because i kind of like that idea. and if anyone would help me make a proper cover for this fic, of maya as peter and riley as wendy, that'd be amazing.


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